Power unit for toys or the like



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United States Patent O 3,293,462 POWER UNIT FOR TOYS OR THE LIKE John H. Wright, Evanston, Ill., assigner to A. G. Spalding & Bros., lne., Chicopee, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 31, 1964, Ser. No. 386,638 6 Claims. (Cl. S10-68) The present invention relates to a power unit for use in a toy or the like device.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a power unit embodying an electric motor and a power source therefor which is of simple construction and which isl -easy to manufacture and operate. plished, according to the present invention, by a unique ,structure which is made essentially from molded plastic parts and stampings.

A feature of the invention resides in the fact that the base for supporting the motor on the toy constitutes a battery ca-rrier for supplying energy to the motor and is provided with a novel switching arrangement whereby the motor can be rotated in either direction.

Anotherfeature of the invention resides in the provision on the base of means for mounting the motor on thev toy and to `allow its position t-o be adjustable in a simple and expeditious manner.

It is another object of the invention to provide a device which can be readily assembled and operated by young children of the age who use construction toys for building models land the like.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification and claims when considlered in connection with the accompanying drawings in partly in section, showing the switch actuator mounting.

FIG. 5 is a sectional View of the two parts of the casing.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line `6 6 of FIG. l.

FIG.' 7 -is an end View of the power unt showing the switch in neutral position.

FIG. 8 is Ia view similar to FIG. 7 showing the switch in position to rotate the motor in one direction.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG, 7 showing the switch in position to rotate the motor in the opposite direction.

FIG. l0 is a perspective view lof the switch contacts.

FIG. 11 is an end view of the motor mounting saddle.

FIG. l2 is a bottom viewof FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of the motor carrier.

FIG. 14 is an end view of the motor carrier.

FIG. 15 is 4a sectional view taken along line 15-15 of FIG. 13.

The power unit of the present invention is ladapted for use in construction toys and in particular for use in con- This is accom- 3,293,462 Patented Dec. 20, 1966 ICC nection with construction toys of the type sold under the trademark Tinkert-oy and involving a plurality of rods R and spools S used for constructing various articles.

As shown in the drawings, the power unit comprises a base 10 having on the upper surface thereof opposing lips 11 forming channels into which is slipped a motor carrier 12. The motor carrier is |adapted to have secured thereto-an electric motor 13, preferably a D.C. motor having a drive shaft 13a for a pulley or the like (not shown), which motor is held to the carrier by a U-shaped saddle clamp 14 (FIGS. 5, 11 and 12) extending over the motor and having projection portions 15 at the end of the U extending under shoulders 16 on the carrier for locking the motor in place thereon over the grid-like rib construction 17 thereof (FIG. 13).

The carrier is provided with motor contacts in the form of eyelets 18 extending therethrough and to which the motor is connected by wires 19. These eyelets make positive contact with a pair of spaced terminal leads 20, 21 under pressure caused by proper dimensioning of lips 11.

This carrier is reversible to allow the motor having the shaft carrying said pulley to face either way, and is slid-ably adjustable, toward either end of the base, even while the motor is running. This feature enables the user to adjust the alignment of the motor pulley with shaft pulleys, etc., in the toy to which the power is being applied.

Mounted on the top of the base is a pair of spaced terminal leads 20, 21 which are imbedded in and extend over the top of the base between the lips as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 and have portions 20a, 21a extending downwardly over and imbedded in the end of the base. As shown in FIG. 3, the eyelets 18 are so located as to engage Iand make good electrical contact with the terminal leads 20, 21 when the motor carrier is secured to the base by the lips 11.

The baseis provided with a pair of energizing terminals 22, 23 in the'end face anda switch means 24 is provided for connecting the energizing terminals with the terminal leads 20a, 21a for controlling the operation of the motor.

In the herein disclosed form of the invention the base is constructed as a two-part molded plastic casing having a transverse dividing line in the center. As shown in FIG. 5, the two parts or sections 26, 27 are locked together in the closed position by means of integral latches 28 on one :section passing through apertures 29 in the other section.

The case is of a size to 'hold batteries of the electric dry cell type. In the herein illustrated form of the invention the case holds two batteries 30, 31 in side-by-side relation. The casing section 26 is provided at the end thereof with a bridging contact 32 (FIG. 2) for connecting the two Ibatteries in series, while the other casing section 27 has the energizing terminal contacts 22, 23 mounted on the end of the .casing thereof in spaced relation to be engaged by the other ends of the |batteries. The switch means embodies a rotatable vcontroller member 35 having on its inner face a pair of transversely ex- 3 tending contact bars 36, 37. As shown in FIG. 4, the controller is mounted on the end of the casing section 27 by a bolt 38 extending through a sleeve 39 carried by the casing substantially midway between the terminal contacts and on a line joining said contacts, said bolt being threaded into a bushing 40 in the controller, thus providing a -simple and effective means for rotatably mounting and assembling the switch means to the casing. As shown in FIG. 7, the terminal lead 20a extend-s to a point above the line connecting said terminal contacts and terminal lead 21a extends to a point below said line and both are located inwardly of said terminal contacts.

The contact means or bars are identical and are shaped as shown in FIG. so as to have three contact portions and a bridging portion. The contact bar 36 is mounted on the controller above the line connecting the terminal contacts with its contact portion 36a continuously engaging the terminal lead portion 20a and the bridging portion 36b overlying the terminal lead portion 21a while the contact bar 37 is mounted in a reverse position below the line connecting the terminal contacts and has its contact portion 37a in position to continuously engage the terminal lead portion 21a. The other contact portions 36C, 36d and 37C, 37d are located at the ends of the contact bars to engage the terminal contacts 22, 23 when the controller member is moved from neutral position.

Thus, it will be seen that with the controller member turned from the neutral position of FIG. 7 to the position shown in FIG. 8, current will flow as indicated by the arrows from the terminal contact 22 along the bar 36 to contact 36a and the terminal lead 20a, through the motor to terminal lead 21a to the contact 37a on the contact bar 37 and along bar 37 to the other terminal 23 and will drive the motor in one direction. When the switch controller is rotated to the other position shown in FIG. 9, contact bar 37 will engage terminal contact 22 and current will travel in the direction of the arrows along the contact bar 37 to the contact portion 37a and terminal portion 21a through the motor to terminal lead 20a to contact portion 36a of the upper contact bar 36 and along the bar to the energizing terminal contact 23, thus reversing the flow of current and rotating the motor in the opposite direction.

If desired, the base can be provided with mounting means, herein illustrated as sleeves projecting therefrom through which the elements of the construction set may be passed and provide a mounting of the power unit in a construction set. In this herein illustrated form of the invention the section-s 26 and 27 are provided with aligned sleeve sections 26C, 27C at each side through which the rods R pass. Preferably sleeves 26e have reces-ses 26d in their ends into which projecting necks 27d on the sections 27c are inserted. This construction aids in aligning the sleeve sections and also aids in maintaining the casing sections in proper relation.

It will be seen therefore that the present invention provides a novel power unit for toys which consists of readily molded and stamped parts which can be easily and quickly assembled. The device is of such a simple construction as will enable young children to operate it and replace the batteries therefor without diiiiculty.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. A power unit for a toy or the like comprising a base provided with opposed projecting lips on the sides thereof, a motor carrier, an electric motor attached to said carrier, said carrier having edges cooperating with said lips to adjustably secure the carrier to said base, spaced vterminal leads each having a rst portion disposed on the base between said lips and a second portion extending over an end of said base and in spaced relation to a pair of energizing terminal contacts thereon, said carrier having motor contacts electrically connected to said motor and engaging with said first portions of the terminal leads, and a switch member rotatably mounted on said end of the base and having contact bars thereon for selectively electrically connecting said second portions of the terminal leads to said terminal contacts.

2. A power unit for a toy or the like comprising a base having a pair of electric batteries therein, said base being provided with spaced electrical terminal contacts on one end thereof connected to said batteries, a motor carrier having an electric motor attached thereto, means adjustably mounting said carrier on said base, said base having spaced terminal leads each having a iirst portion disposed on the base beneath said carrier and a second portion extending over the end of said base and in spaced relation to said terminal contacts thereon, said carrier having motor contacts electrically connected to said motor and engaging with said first portions of the terminal lead, and a switch member rotatably mounted on the end of said base and having contact bars thereon for selectively electrically connecting said second portions of the terminal leads to said terminal contacts to energize the motor.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the base comprises a casing divided transversely into two sections and having space therein to receive and support a plurality of batteries, a bridging contact on one section for electrically connecting one end of said batteries, said pair of spaced terminal contacts being carried by the other section, each to be connected to one of said batteries and lbeing exposed on the exterior of one end of the casing section, and wherein the .switch means comprises a controller pivoted on the end of the casing between the terminal contacts and provided with a pair of contact bars, said bars being located, with the controller in a neutral position, above and below said pair of terminal contacts and movable about the pivot and having contact portions of said contact bars selectively connecting the terminal leads to said terminal contacts to supply current to the motor to rotate in either of two directions.

4. The invention as defined in claim Z wherein the base comprises a molded plastic casing divided transversely into two sections and having space therein to receive and support said pair of batteries, latch means securing the sections together, a bridging contact on one section for electrically connecting said batteries in series, said pair of -spaced terminal contacts being exposedon the exterior of one said end of the other casing section, said casing sections being provided with projecting mounting means whereby said power unit can be mounted on a toy.

5. A power unit for a toy or the like having rod-like components comprising a base, a motor and control means therefor mounted thereon, said base comprising a molded plastic casing divided transversely into two sections and latch means for holding the sections together, said sections having space therein to receive and support batteries, said batteries connected to a pair of terminal contacts on one end of said casing to form a source of energy for the unit, and each section having integral, projecting, aligned mounting sleeves to receive said rodlike components and mount the unit on the toy, said sleeves having interconnecting aligning portion and said control means selectively connecting the terminal contacts to said motor to supply current to the motor to rotate said motor in either of two directions.

6. A power unit for a toy or the like comprising a base provided with opposed projecting lips on the sides thereof, a motor carrier, an electric motor having a drive shaft attached to said carrier, said carrier having edges cooperating with said lips to secure the carrier and motor to said base for longitudinal adjusting movement thereon,

.said motor being capable of having the drive shaft disposed in either direction, spaced terminal leads each having an elongate first portion disposed on the base between said lips and a second portion extending over an end of said base and in spaced relation to a pair of energizing terminal contacts thereon, said carrier having lmotor contacts electrically connected to said motor and continuously engaging with said rst portions of the terminal leads in all adjusted positions of the carrier on the base, said lips applying pressure to said carrier to hold said carrier in adjusted position and `said motor contacts in good electrical contact with -said terminal leads, and a switch member rotatably mounted on said end of the base and having contact bars thereon for selectively electrically connecting said second portions of the terminal leads to said terminal contacts to energize the motor.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,598,211 5/1952 Belcalff 310-154 2,814,906 12/ 1957 Orvis 46-39 2,903,974 9/1959 Smith 10S-101 3,066,437 12/1962 Cohn 46-39 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,322,019 5/ 1962 France.

MILTON O. HIRSHFIELD, Primary Examiner.

I. D. MILLER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A POWER UNIT FOR A TOY OR THE LIKE COMPRISING A BASE PROVIDED WITH OPPOSED PROJECTING LIPS ON THE SIDES THEREOF, A MOTOR CARRIER, AN ELECTRIC MOTOR ATTACHED TO SAID CARRIER, SAID CARRIER HAVING EDGES COOPERATING WITH SAID LIPS TO ADJUSTABLY SECURE THE CARRIER TO SAID BASE, SPACED TERMINAL LEADS EACH HAVING A FIRST PORTION DISPOSED ON THE BASE BETWEEN SAID LIPS AND A SECOND PORTION EXTENDING OVER AN END OF SAID BASE AND IN SPACED RELATION TO A PAIR OF ENERGIZING TERMINAL CONTACTS THEREON, SAID CARRIER HAVING MOTOR CONTACTS ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO SAID MOTOR AND ENGAGING WITH SAID FIRST PORTIONS OF THE TERMINAL LEADS, AND A SWITCH MEMBER ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID END OF THE BASE AND HAVING CONTACT BARS THEREON FOR SELECTIVELY ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING SAID SECOND PORTIONS OF THE TERMINAL LEADS TO SAID TERMINAL CONTACTS. 